Can't get 'AddTinVolumeSurface method to work.

[tcorey]

I am at my wits end.

Trying to create a Tin Volume Surface using Vlisp.

The Surfaces collection has a method called AddTinVolumeSurface (1). The (1) meaning the method takes one arguement, right?

Here's the code:

(setq surfs (vlax-get-property c3ddoc 'Surfaces))              ;sets the Surfaces collection as surfs

;(setq surfname (vlax-make-safearray vlax-vbstring '(0 . 0)))   This was an attempt to use a safearray of a single dimension

;(vlax-safearray-fill surfname (list "tempsurface"))   and fill it in with a list.

  ;(setq surfname (vlax-make-safearray vlax-vbstring))   Tried it without the dimensions of the array

;(vlax-safearray-fill surfname "TEST"))                   Tried filling the array with a string instead of a string in a list.

  ;(setq surfname "TEST")                                     Tried with the surfname set to a string, not a safearray.

  (setq surfname (vlax-make-variant "TEST" vlax-vbstring))        and the most recent try, using a variant.

(setq surf3 (vlax-invoke-method surfs 'AddTinVolumeSurface surfname))   But when I use this code to create the surface, I get various errors, depending on the option I used creating surfname.

What is expected from AddTinVolumeSurface (1). I am putting the surface name in as an arguement, but I can't get it to work. I have tried integers like 0 and 1, I have tried T and F. I really wish there was documentation somewhere that would tell me what is expected here .

[Jeff_M]

---

@tcorey wrote:

I am at my wits end.

What is expected from AddTinVolumeSurface (1). I am putting the surface name in as an arguement, but I can't get it to work. I have tried integers like 0 and 1, I have tried T and F. I really wish there was documentation somewhere that would tell me what is expected here .

---

You have to use the COM documentation, Tim. From THIS page you will find you need to pass a TinVolumeCreationData object. Here's some sample code I was playing with a few years ago for a TinSurface. You will need to make appropriate modifications for the TinVolumeSurface and newer versions of C3D. The difference in the TINVolumeCreationData being you also need to set the 2 comparison surfaces.

(vl-load-com)
(setq prod (vlax-product-key))
(setq verstr (cond ((vl-string-search "\\R18.0\\" prod)
		    "7.0"
		   )
		   ;;2010
		   ((vl-string-search "\\R18.1\\" prod)
		    "8.0"
		   )
		   ;;2011
		   ((vl-string-search "\\R18.2\\" prod)
		    "9.0"
		   )
		   ;;2012
	     )
)
(setq prodStr (strcat "AeccXUiLand.AeccApplication." verstr))
(setq datastr (strcat "AeccXLand.AeccTinCreationData." verstr))

(if (and (setq *acad* (vlax-get-acad-object))
	 (setq C3D (vla-getinterfaceobject *acad* prodStr))
	 (setq C3Ddoc (vla-get-activedocument C3D))
	 (setq surfs (vlax-get C3Ddoc 'surfaces))
	 (setq tincreationdata (vla-getinterfaceobject *acad* datastr))
    )
  (progn
    (vlax-put tincreationdata 'baselayer "0")
    (vlax-put tincreationdata 'layer "0")
    (vlax-put tincreationdata 'description "Surface from Lisp")
    (vlax-put tincreationdata 'name "Lisp EG")
    (vlax-put tincreationdata 'style "Border Only")
    ;;style must exist!
    (setq
      surf (vlax-invoke-method surfs 'addtinsurface tincreationdata)
    )
    ;; do whatever else is needed
    (vlax-release-object tincreationdata)
    (vlax-release-object surf)
    (vlax-release-object surfs)
    (vlax-release-object c3ddoc)
  )
)

 And here's the LINK for the general COM help.

[tcorey]

Aha. COM documentation. That's gonna be the ticket. I''ve been flying blind and you just removed the blindfold.

Thanks, Jeff. Next time I see you I owe you a keg of beer for all your help!

Tim

[tcorey]

I am trying to create a TinVolumeSurface and the put-property method is not working for the base surface name;

This line works, fills the baselayer property correctly

(vlax-put-property tincreationdata 'BaseLayer "TEMPORARY-FOR-VOLUME-CALCS")

This line gives me a type mismatch

     (vlax-put-property tincreationdata 'BaseSurface "Surf1")            

I have tried using a string as above, tried pointing to the actual surface object:

 (vlax-put-property tincreationdata 'BaseSurface surf1)

Tried pointing to the surface Object id

 (setq surfobjid (vlax-get-property surf1 'ObjectID))

(vlax-put-property tincreationdata 'BaseSurface surfobjid)

 As you can see, the tincreationdata object is being created and the BaseLayer property is accepting the put:

(vlax-dump-object tincreationdata)
; IAeccTinVolumeCreationData: AeccTinVolumeCreationData interface
; Property values:
;   BaseLayer = "TEMPORARY-FOR-VOLUME-CALCS"
;   BaseSurface = nil
;   ComparisonSurface = nil
;   Description = ""
;   Layer = ""
;   Name = ""
;   Style = ""

I can put the description, layer, name and style, too, just not the basesurface and comparison surface.

Thanks for any input...

Tim

[Jeff_M]

Gah! I knew I should've checked before posting. Sorry Tim, this looks like one of those things that lisp just won't do. It can be done in VBA & .NET, but lisp doesn't pass the correct object type to the tinvolumecreationdata surface properties. 

This is the same issue when you try to do this:

(setq surf1 (vlax-invoke-method surfs 'item "Surface1"))

It will error with "type mismatch" so you need to loop through the collection to get the surface you want:

(vlax-for surf surfs
      (if (= (vlax-get-property surf 'name) "Surface1")
	(setq surf1 surf)
	(if (= (vlax-get-property surf 'name) "Surface2")
	  (setq surf2 surf)
	  )
	)
      )

 I don't see a backdoor method of passing the correct object type. So it looks like I led you astray on this one, Tim. Sorry about that!

[tcorey]

There's no reason to apologize, Jeff. You have helped so many community members. You're entitled a small mistake once in a while. I only spent an hour or so on it, so no biggie.

It looks like I'm just gonna have to knuckle under and learn c#. Peter Funk has stated it here, emphatically, several times, that .net is the way to go. I guess I should listen.

Mostly, I'm gonna miss being able to debug on the command line. ;-(

Have a great day and thanks for all you do, Jeff.

Tim

[Anonymous]

Hi Tim & Jeff,

Sorry to be late on this issue....

Few releases ago I had looked into this and my approach was this :

;(vlax-put-property oTinData 'BaseSurface oSurface1)

;(vlax-put-property oTinData 'ComparisonSurface oSurface2)

(setq oVolTinNew (vlax-invoke-method oSurfaces 'AddTinVolumeSurface oTinData))

However, I think we had an issue here in using Civil 3D COM / ActiveX API in LISP call. And I had seen some other areas too where it doesn't work and hence I would suggest to move on to use Civil 3D .NET API.

Thanks,

Partha

[tcorey]

Thanks, Partha. It seems that's the way I'll have to go....